Seventy-Two-Hour Reutilization After Telemedicine Visits in Academic Pediatric Primary Care

Abstract

Telemedicine has expanded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the health care usage after telemedicine visits compared with similar in-person visits is not known. This study compared the 72-hour health care reutilization after telemedicine visits and in-person acute encounters in a pediatric primary care office. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed in a single quaternary pediatric health care system between March 1, 2020, and November 30, 2020. Reutilization information was collected for 72 hours following the index visit and included subsequent encounters within the health care system. The 72-hour reutilization rate for telemedicine encounters was 4.1% compared with 3.9% for in-person acute visits. Of revisits, patients who had a telemedicine visit most often sought additional care at the medical home, and patients with an in-person visit most often sought additional care to the emergency department or urgent care. Telemedicine does not result in higher total health care reutilization.